Sport shoe



Dec. 11, 1956 p, CLAPPIER 2,773,316

SPORT SHOE Filed June l, 1953 INVENTOR.

JTTORNEYS A United States Patent SPORT SHOE Frank P. Clappier, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application June 1, 1953, Serial No. 358,877

1 Claim. (CI. 36-25) The present invention relates to a sport shoe of the type which is especially useful for sports which involve running, including track, football, lacrosse, soccer and the like.

A purpose of the invention is to obtain greater leverage for running.

A further purpose is to extend a stiff insert in the shoe from the heel to a position between 4 inch and two inches forward of the center of the ball of the foot, terminating the stiff insert at that point and leaving the usual flexible sole extend forward beyond that point.

A further purpose is to terminate the stiff insert between 4 inch and two inches forward of the center of the ball of the foot.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claim.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate one only of the numerous embodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principle involved.

Figure l is a diagrammatic central vertical section of a running shoe to which the invention has been applied.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing a football shoe.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective according to the invention of a shoe particularly suited to jumping and other field sports.

In the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

It will be recognized that in running there is a leverage exerted which propels the runner forward. The lever arm is normally the projected distance from the center of the ball of the foot which engages the ground, to the heel. Most shoes are fully flexible and even in spike shoes there is considerable flexibility, so that the lever arm is elfective only over the distance from the center of the ball of the foot to the heel. Usually shoes are flexible particularly in the shank, so that the stiffness of the lever arm must be provided by the foot.

In accordance with the present invention the lever arm is extended forward between /1 inch and two inches in front of the center of the ball of the foot, by providing a rigid plate from the heel to this position forward of the center of the ball of the foot. Thus there is a longer lever arm and a greater mechanical advantage available in running.

In the prior art in running shoes and the like, a rigid plate has in some cases been extended under the ball of the foot to receive spikes, but there has not been any extension of the lever arm back to the heel. This is a step in the wrong direction because it provides no flexibility forward of a point between /1 inch and 2 inches in front of the center of the ball of the foot and provides no stiffness rearwardly of the center of the ball of the foot.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a running shoe in accordance with the present invention. The shoe consists of an upper 20 having a tip 21, eyelets 22 for a lace, a back portion 23 adapted to engage the back of the heel and a sole 24, along with the usual side portions.

In accordance with the present invention the sole is modified and consists of an inner sole 25 which suitably extends the full length and protects: the foot, a thin rigid metallic sheet 26 which extends from the back of heel forward to a position of between A1 and two inches in front of the center 27 of the ball of the foot, desirably ending in a forward convex curve portion 28 as seen in Figure 2. Forwardly of the plate 26 a resilient leather filler 30 is inserted. A resilient sole 31 extends the full length on the outside and is re-enforced at the rear by heel piece 32 suitably of leather and at the ball of the foot by a spike base 33 suitably of leather, somewhat resilient, and mounting spikes 34.

Thus the sole of the shoe is resilient forwardly of the curved forward edge 28 of the plate 26, but is stiff and provides supplemental leverage for the runner rearwardly of this line.

The exact length of the forward extension forward of the center of the ball of the foot will depend upon the sport or activity for which the shoe is to be used and the taste of the individual user. For best results the extension should be between inch and one and /4 inches forward of the center of the ball of the foot.

In operation it will be evident that. the wearer gains increased leverage as he progressively steps forward due to the support provided by the light gage rigid plate 26.

The invention is applicable not only to running shoes but to shoes of other types. In Figure 3 I show a football shoe 35 having a high upper 36 and generally similar to the shoe of Figures 1 and 2 except that the leather spike pad 33' has spikes 34 of somewhat different configuration and the heel piece 32' has spikes 34 The invention is also applicable to jumping shoes, as shown in Figure 4, which have the same general characteristics of the running shoe of Figures 1 and 2, but in addition may include straps 37 and 38 and a buckle 39 which pull from the back of the heel across the instep.

While the metallic plate 26 Will preferably be of light gage steel, it may also be made of aluminum, magnesium and the like.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I therefore claim all such insofar as they fall Within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A sport shoe having a sole and an upper in combination with a rigid metallic plate extending along the length of the sole from the heel and terminating at a position about inch forward of the center of the ball of the foot, the sole forward of said position being flexible.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

